Kuusamo Log Houses – Quality of life in Kuusamo

The family business Kuusamo Log Houses has its roots in Northern Finland, close to the Arctic Circle. In their home village on the shores of Lake Kitkajärvi in Northern Kuusamo, brothers Simo and Arto Orjasniemi began building holiday homes and houses in the early 1990s. Arto designed the range and handled sales, whilst his older brother Simo was responsible for lathing the logs.

Entrepreneurs know what real hard work is. During the busiest season in early summer, the company’s four employees worked in four shifts – two employees worked for six hours at a time, followed by a six-hour rest period. Then another six hours of work followed by the same amount of rest – round the clock!

The high-quality and competitive log buildings produced by the brothers sold well, and as demand continued to grow towards the end of 1997, the brothers Jouko and Antti Virranniemi, owners of the local sawmill, Pölkky Oy, joined the venture. These two pairs of brothers decided to combine their expertise, and Kuusamo Hirsitalot Oy was founded in early 1998. Arto took the reins of the company as managing director, Simo was in charge of production, and the Virranniemi brothers served on the company’s board.

Over the course of 25 years, the two-man business has grown into a reliable and financially sound log house manufacturer employing around 40 people. Having grown strongly through Finnish grit and determination, the company has always been financially strong and stable. The company has made a profit in every year of operation. Kuusamo Log Houses (Kuusamo Hirsitalot Oy in Finnish) has a AA credit rating.

The company continues to operate as a family business, and the owners are actively involved in its operations. Arto Orjasniemi serves as the managing director. The owners, Simo Orjasniemi, Jouko Virranniemi and, following the generational change, Petteri Virranniemi, are involved in the work of the board.

Kuusamo Log Houses refined its strategy in 2020, clarifying the company’s mission, objectives and values. Our mission is to enhance people’s quality of life.